SMUGGLING OF PERSONS ARREST – LORENZO RAFAEL CARMONA

September 15, 2022

El Paso, TX – On September 13, 2022 at about 9:30 pm., El Paso County Sheriff’s Office deputies from the Northwest Patrol Station conducted a traffic stop for an equipment violation at the 7900 block of Doniphan Dr.  When the vehicle came to a stop, four subjects fled on foot (which included the driver). There were also two additional subjects in the interior of the vehicle as well as two others discovered in the trunk.

Deputies searched the area and were able to locate two of the four that had fled on foot (one of which was the driver).  The other two that fled could not be located. The deputy’s investigation revealed that the driver was attempting to smuggle males from the US/Mexico Border to an undisclosed location within in the United States. 

The driver was identified as 27-year-old Lorenzo Rafael Carmona from Las Cruces NM.  The driver was arrested and booked into the El Paso County Jail for Smuggling of Persons ($10,000.00 bond), Smuggling of Persons Under 18 Years of Age ($15,000.00 bond), Evading Arrest Detention ($2,000.00 bond), and Possession of Marijuana Under 2 oz ($500.00 bond). Deputies attempted to refer the 5 undocumented immigrants to the United States Border Patrol at multiple stations, but were advised that they could not respond citing staffing issues.  Deputies ultimately transported the five males to the Opportunity Center for the Homeless. 

“This incident raises a law enforcement concern that because Border Patrol is so overwhelmed, undocumented immigrants may be released into communities with minimal or no screening. Although the vast majority of undocumented immigrants who come to the United States are decent people, this situation is ripe for terrorists and criminals to simply walk across our border and do harm to our citizens”. – Sheriff Richard D. Wiles